Otterbox Tote Cooler
Otterbox is best known for its sturdy smartphone cases, but the brand also makes an assortment of mugs, coolers, and accessories built for camping. Three new softshell coolers launch this week, including this 24-can carrying shoulder sling tote ($90).
Several brands make a similar tote cooler, and Otterbox certainly didn’t invent the design. With a narrow base and immense portability, tote coolers carry easily and fit almost everywhere. From road trips to festivals, this insulated bag can haul lunch and beverages for the whole squad.
According to the brand, the tote can keep ice frozen for up to 2 days, provided the cooler is prechilled and free of large air pockets. The main opening seals with a water-resistant zipper, and a series of external pockets add extra storage and organization.
DOXA Sub 300T Clive Cussler Dive Watch
The late Clive Cussler is best known for lining the shelves of airport bookstores with his best-selling techno-thrillers. When Cussler wasn’t busy cranking out novels like hotcakes, he was also a prolific marine explorer.
In honor of Cussler and his deep sea side quests, DOXA drops a special edition of the Sub 300T ($2,690), an adventurous timepiece that evokes a vintage compass. Its rotating bezel and helium release valve are made for calculating and monitoring no-decompression dive time.
According to the brand, this watch is “a symbol of discovery and a reminder of the mysteries that lie beneath the waves.” It’s just the sort of watch that would be worn by Dirk Pitt, Cussler’s tequila-swilling heartthrob protagonist.
Matador ReFraction Packable Duffel Bag
Frequent travelers pride themselves on their ability to pack light. For those who shun expensive hard-shell luggage with built-in locks and battery packs, Matador’s new ReFraction Duffel ($50) provides pure affordable utility. It touts 25 L of storage — plenty of space for a short business or leisure trip — and weighs less than half a pound.
To keep weight and bulk to a minimum, the ReFraction Duffel is free of flashy features and general excess. A single hardy zipper keeps the main compartment sealed. It comes with dual carry handles and a no-frills shoulder sling. When empty, it easily compresses into its own pocket, like all of Matador’s ultra-packable products.
WhistlePig x Pit Viper SummerStock Whiskey and Shades
Next time you ask for a friend to bring you some whiskey glasses, you may need to be more specific. The most peculiar collaboration of summer 2023 to date, WhistlePig Whiskey teams up with Pit Viper to drop a limited edition line of sunnies and swigs ($150 for the set).
According to WhistlePig, this SummerStock whiskey is light, smooth, and easy to sip. A blend of rye and wheat whiskey, this spirit “was finished in toasted barrels” and can be enjoyed “on the rocks or sipped straight.” If you have one too many and forget about the dangers of staring into the sun, your in situ Pit Vipers will keep you safe.
This limited edition product duo celebrates WhistlePig Farm and Distillery achieving “100% solar power” in 2023. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Everybody Solar, an organization striving to “protect the environment and strengthen communities by bringing solar energy to nonprofits.”
REEF x Mason Ho Water Coast Shoes
Born and raised on Oahu’s North Shore, Mason Ho’s family is packed with more pro surfers than the Padrol Longboard Classic. This summer, Ho joins up with REEF for a fresh line of pro-model sandals and shoes. The pictured Water Coast ($65) — with its moccasin-style construction and porous upper — immediately caught our eye. This shoe has been in REEF’s lineup for a while, but Ho’s version adds a deep purple color and a subtle coral print.
According to REEF, the Water Coast is made from “water-friendly” EVA with mesh lining and built-in arch support.
BOTE ‘Gator-Proof’ Kula Cooler
Gator-proof? We’ll see what the Everglades has to say about that. In all seriousness, I’d love to test this claim, though seeing as though BOTE is based in South Florida, they likely already have.
Its latest Kula Cooler ($375) is this hefty, “adventure-ready” 10-gallon, complete with rotomolded plastic construction, a bottle opener, sticky rubber feet, a carry handle, and magnetic attachment points for compatible accessories, as well as an optional ice pack, storage basket, and cooler cutting board.
It’s the largest cooler BOTE now makes at a whopping 23 pounds empty, so it’s better for use on its bigger vessels like kayaks and inflatable pedal drive boats, as well as motorized boats. Tough as nails, BOTE says, the KULA 10 “was designed to withstand all adventures” — gators included.
Bee’s Wrap ‘Great Outdoors’ Food Wrap
Plastic wrap may preserve your sandwich, but the world around your sandwich prefers you use a recyclable alternative. The sticky transparent “Saran” wrap that’s commonly sold in rolls was invented by accident as a byproduct in a 1930s laboratory. Now, it’s a ubiquitous kitchen staple that sits just next to the tin foil. It’s convenient to use, and a total menace to the environment.
Bee’s Wrap is made from organic cotton, plant oil, tree resin, and beeswax. It’s 100% free of plastic and silicone, and it’s perfectly suitable for storing all sorts of snacks. Plus, it’s endlessly reusable, so it’ll likely save you money in the long run.
The brand’s wraps come in various shapes and sizes, from rolls ($25) to pre-cut sandwich holders ($15). Various fun prints are available too, including the all-new Great Outdoors print (pictured). And 1% of sales support the Plastic-Free Parks Initiative.
Astral ‘Wild Things’ GreenJacket LE
Astral is a leading manufacturer of whitewater personal flotation devices (PFDs). For 14 years running, the brand has released a series of limited-edition PFDs in collaboration with professional kayakers and artists. This year’s “Wild Things” iteration features whimsical artwork by surfer Bret Brown in collaboration with pro kayaker Nouria Newman. In the chest area, a playfully rendered group of frightful cartoons conveys themes of “dreaming, overcoming fear, and committing to adventure.”
As for the tech specs, the Wild Things shares its architecture with the bestselling Green Jacket LE, an advanced PFD preferred by many of the world’s strongest paddlers. And 5% of online sales from the Wild Things jacket will benefit Tri-Haut pour l’Everest, a sustainability project working to reduce the amount of plastics and waste that enter the soil and water of the Himalayas.
Chêne Slough Boot
Hip waders offer excellent protection, but they’re quite an inconvenience to put on and take off. Hunters and anglers frequently walk through deep mud and shallow streams, so reliable waterproofing is necessary. Chêne Gear’s new Slough Boots ($300) extend well above the knee for extra-high waterproofing — without the heat-trapping hassle of waders.
At maximum height, these thigh-high boots can keep your legs dry while roaming through creeks and streams. The molded rubber outsole is thick and cut-resistant, and the wader material sports a universal camo print. To keep from sagging, both waders have an elastic band that clips directly to a belt loop. When not in use, the wader material folds down and out of the way.
Patagonia Pataloha Collection
This flowy new summertime dress is a far cry from Patagonia’s typical garb — puffy jackets and expeditionary onesies. Woven from wood-pulp-derived Tencel fabric and stylized with Hawain canoe plants, the Pataloha dress ($129) is made for strolling along the beach.
Clearly, the selling point of this dress is its eye-catching print. Hawaiian Canoe Plants are 24 original species that Polynesian voyagers brought to Hawaii upon settling in the islands between 300 and 600 CE. These gorgeous, big-leafed species are a staple of traditional Hawaiian cuisine and the islands’ cultural history.
It’s an apt print for a dress that would fit right in on the shores of Hanalei Bay. The entire Pataloha collection includes more prints (seven, to be exact) that pay homage to the Polynesian Hōkūleʻa wayfinders and the constellations — and include men’s, women’s, kids, and baby offerings.
